Trump and Putin Are Talking. What Does That Mean for Ukraine?

President Trump and President Putin engaged in a 90-minute phone call on Wednesday that Trump said could be the beginning of ending the conflict in Ukraine – but what could this mean for peace in the region and global politics?

American Media: Washington Post (Lean Left bias) columnist David Ignatius (Center) said Wednesday sent “mixed signals” on “the big question” of “whether [Trump] will sell out the Ukrainians to get peace.” Ignatius noted that these “mixed signals” have sparked worry with some “Ukraine supporters” who think “Trump and Putin might be ready to do a deal over Kyiv’s head.” He ultimately concluded that Trump “will be measured… by whether he achieves a just peace agreement that doesn’t benefit the aggressor.”

European Media: UnHerd (Center) columnist Thomas Fazi argued Trump’s “diplomacy” won’t bring peace for Ukraine because it is out of line with the positions of European Union leaders who “view the US retreat as a reason to escalate militarily.” Fazi described a “pro-war coalition” in the EU that is “primarily driven by Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania,” and noted recent actions from significant bodies like the United Kingdom and NATO who have signaled they want to do more in defense of Ukraine.

Russian Media: Writing for the Kremlin-funded RT (Lean Right), Fyodor Lukyanov claimed Trump’s call with Putin means U.S.-Russia relations are returning to their “natural state” of “strategic rivalry, conflicting interests, and fundamental differences in worldview.” Lukyanov wrote that “For decades, the U.S. pursued a fantasy – one where it could reshape Russia in its own image” but that D.C. has now recognized the reality that “Russia was never going to be remade.”